Business Analysis & data science). Let me tell you why I think my decision was the right one: Best MS in Data Science/Analytics program in the US
. It has been a year since then and I am very happy to be part of the MS in Business Analytics program at Oklahoma State University (now called MS in Business Analytics & Data Science). Let me tell you why I think my decision was the right one –
1) Cheap: Still water, Oklahoma is a relatively cheap place to live for a college student. The i20 amount for an international student is around $35,000, which is decent value compared to other universities.Being quite competitive academically, you can spend a lot less through internships etc. For more information see point 4.
2) History: The program has a long history (more than 15 years), even if it has a different name. Hundreds of students have graduated and settled in different parts of the United States.Many of them you can work closely with (they are your mentors for projects, competitions, jobs, etc.)
3) Registration: The program only accepts 30 to 40 students per year. You’ll receive individual attention to improve your skills and work on things you’re late for. (Less competition = more assistance opportunities). At the end of the program you will have a small family.
4) Assistantship: From the second semester onwards, the program was able to allocate a Master’s assistantship to all my group members. There are no tuition fees, and as a Graduate Assistant Professor you’ll earn around $1,000 per month for 20 hours of work (the cap for international students).
5) Internships: very many full-time job offers and internships during the holidays. I’ve seen people say Oklahoma has a location error – the answer is 100% summer spots for my party and the party before it.Over 80% of full-time positions within 3 months of completion in the last 2 years.
6) Advisory Board: The program has a long list of companies and alumni on the Advisory Board. You will help develop programs to meet the latest trends in analytics, student recruitment – full-time and internships, fundraising and more.
7) Reputation: Okstate’s MSBAN program is well established in the industry due to its long history. Program Director Dr.Goutam Chakraborty has a solid reputation in the industry and brings a wealth of experience and connections to the table.
Curriculum:
1) The program is an excellent blend of statistics, marketing, commerce and research.
2) You have different career paths depending on your areas of interest (statistics, health, human resources analysis, optimization). More on the website.
3) Every semester you will work in real time on industrial projects with companies affiliated with the course.Lots of content to discuss in the interviews.
4) Free weekend training in finance, accounting, spreadsheets, deep learning and more that will prepare you to work in the industry regardless of your career/background.
5) A 1-credit course (Research and Communication) is specifically designed to teach students how to communicate their ideas effectively and conduct high-quality research. (Focus is on writing quality research papers, presentation skills, etc.)
6) Free Datacamp premium account to solve R, Python and business case studies.
7) Graduates will provide invaluable mentoring for academic work, understanding of current industry trends, etc.
8) Opportunity to enter internal and external competitions.Get attention, networking and a chance to showcase your skills. The prize money is an added bonus.
9) Sponsored conferences to present your scientific work at various conferences. A deep connection to the SAS Institute makes this possible.
10) Some people think that a 21 month program is too long.I personally think it takes time to digest lessons and work on good projects. In addition, about half of students complete an advanced paid internship during their final semester, which adds additional work experience before college.
